potter



(No Model.)

R. POTTER & H. MGDOUGALL.

SWITCH FOB. SUSPENDED RAILWAYS. No. 367,842. Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

WITNESSES INVENTORSZ' 8 6. w Mz.

N. PETERS. Fhdlflfilh ugmphur,'Wnshingtoll. D. G.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROGER POTTER AND HENRY MODOUGALL, OF N EXV YORK, N. Y.

f SWITCH FOR SUSPENDED RA l L WAY S SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 367,842, dated August 9, 1887.

Application filed April 4, 1887. Serial No. 233,680. (No model.)

To 60% whom it may concern: I

Be it known that we, ROGER POTTER and HENRY MoDoUGALL, both citizens ofthe United States of America, and residents of the city, county, andState of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inSwitches for Suspended Railways, of which the following is aspecification;

This invention relates to an improvement in switches for suspendedrailways, such as are used for carrying and transferring meat or otherweights; and it consists in the construction and combination, with thesuspended main rail and its chair or hanger, of a dropping and verticaldiagonal jointed switch rail for switching from the main rail, by whichmeans a very simple and more solid and less expensive switch is obtainedthan with those heretofore used.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 represents a sideview of aportion of a suspended railway with several switches from a main tobranch railways constructed according to our invention.

connecting with themain railway. The chairs or'hangers are shownbisected. Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the railway chairs or hangers.Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the pivoted switch-rail joint.

A represents a main rail, and B B are branch rails, which connect withthe main rail by means of the switch-rails O, and the meat car'- rier orcar D is fitted to travel upon said rails, and may beswitched to'eitherof them. The rails are suspended on the ceiling of the room or buildingby means of railway chairs or hangers E, secured to the ceiling. At thejunction of the main railway with one or more branch railways eachrailway is provided with a switch-rail, G, of which the proper rail forpassing the meat-carrier is dropped to connect with the main, and thosenot engaged may be raised by hand and held up out of the way byspring-hooks H, hereinafter referred to, to pass by themeat-carrier. Themain rail end F at such junction is supported and attached to the sideof a hanger, E, and the switchrails meet the main with adiagonal joint,the pointed ends of the switch-rails being fitted to join the mainbetween the side of Fig. 2 is a top View of the same, showing theseveral branch railways the hanger and the point at the end of the mainrail. The opposite ends of the switchrails are each pivoted to itsrespective rail and meet with a vertical diagonal j oint,through whichthe pivot Gr passes at right angles to said joint, and said pivot isriveted in a counter-bore made in each opposite end of thejoining-rails, so that the switch-rail can be readily turned on thepivot to raise its loose end from itsjunction with the main rail; butwhen dropped to connect with said main rail the switch-rail in suchposition presents an even surface over its junctions with the main rail,as Well as over its pivoted joint, to avoid all obstructions against thesmooth travel of the meat-carrier, which'object is mainly gained by theemployment'of the diagonal joints of the switch-rail. The end of therail close to the pivoted end of the switch-rail is secured to a hangerapplied thereto. For holding the switchrails up out of the way'which arenot engaged, we employ the spring J, which is secured on the fixed railor hanger near the pivot-junction of the switch-rail, and said springhas a hooked end, so that its hook H passes under the switch-railas-soon as said rail is raised properly. By this means said rail is heldup out of the way for the carrier to pass.

Whichever branch rail is desired to be used, the respective switclrrailis readily dropped in its seat to connect with the main rail bydisengaging its spring-hook H. The switchrail not used is held up out ofthe way by the spring-hook H.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a suspended railway, the combination, with the supporting-hangersand the main and branch rails, of thedropping switch-rails 0, adapted toconnect the main rail with the side rails, and suitable spring-hooks forholding the switch-rails out of engagement with the main rail when notin use, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in a suspended railway, of a pivoted switch-railconnected with its main-track rail by a vertical diagonal joint andpivot at right angles to said joint, all substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the main rails A and the branch rails B andtheir supporiingour invention we have signed our names, in I0 hangers,of the switch-rails O, united to their I presence of two witnesses, this31st day of Aurespect-ive rails by diagonal Vertical joints and gust,188G.

rivets G, and the spring-l1ooks 1H, for holding the switch-rails out ofengagement with the main-track rail, all constructed and arranged tooperate substantially in the manner and for Vitnesses:

the purpose set forth. I JOHN DILLON, In testimony that we claim theforegoing as D. II. LANE.

ROG ER POTTER. HENRY MCDOUGALL.

